No more struggles with funding for your video production project: here are the grants you absolutely need to know about to succeed!
Do you dream of becoming the next YouTube star, producing your own series, or directing a high-quality short film? We get it! But let’s face it, bringing a video project to life can quickly become a financial headache. And that’s where things get complicated: between public funding, private grants, and scholarships, it’s often hard to figure it all out. But don’t panic—we’re here to help! In this article, we’ll share all the tips you need to secure the funding that will help launch your career as a video content creator. And to help you see the big picture, we’ll outline the potential amounts for each funding opportunity and the application deadlines so you don’t miss a thing. Ready to learn everything you need to succeed? Let’s get started!
Financial Assistance from the Île-de-France Region
Support for TV Series Production
- This grant is intended for fiction or animated series projects with a minimum runtime of 20 minutes per episode. It may cover up to 30% of production costs, up to a maximum of 500,000 euros.
- URL: https://www.iledefrance.fr/aides-regionales-series-televisees
- Application period: January 1 through December 31, 2023
- Expected amount of aid: up to 150,000 euros
Support for the Production of Web Series
- This grant is intended for fiction or animated web series projects with a minimum runtime of 3 minutes per episode. It may cover up to 30% of production costs, up to a maximum of 30,000 euros per episode and 100,000 euros per season.
- URL: https://www.iledefrance.fr/aides-regionales-webseries
- Application period: January 1 through December 31, 2023
- Expected amount of funding: up to 30,000 euros per episode and 100,000 euros per season
Support for the Production of Short Films
- This grant is intended for short films—whether fiction, animation, or documentary—that are less than 30 minutes long. It may cover up to 50% of production costs, up to a maximum of 30,000 euros.
- https://www.iledefrance.fr/aides-regionales-court-metrage
- Application period: January 1 through December 31, 2023
- Expected amount of assistance: up to 15,000 euros
Screenwriting Assistance
- This grant is intended for feature films, television series, or web series—whether live-action or animated. It may cover up to 50% of writing costs, up to a maximum of 12,000 euros for feature films and television series and 6,000 euros for web series.
- URL: https://www.iledefrance.fr/aides-regionales-ecriture
- Application period: January 1 through December 31, 2023
- Expected amount of funding: up to 6,000 euros for web series and up to 6,000 euros for TV series and feature films
Support for the Development of Innovative Digital Projects
- This grant is intended for innovative digital projects, including projects involving the creation of online content such as YouTube videos or podcasts. It can cover up to 50% of eligible expenses, up to a maximum of 150,000 euros.
- URL: https://www.iledefrance.fr/aides-regionales-projets-numeriques-innovants
- Application period: January 1 through December 31, 2023
- Expected amount of aid: up to 75,000 euros
CNC
Writing Help
Support for Visual Design
Production Assistance
- This grant is intended for producers to support the production of feature films, series, documentaries, or short films. It may cover up to 50% of production costs, up to a maximum of 1.5 million euros for feature films and 200,000 euros for documentaries and short films.
- URL: https://www.cnc.fr/cinema/aides-et-financements/aides-a-la-production/aide-a-la-production_81861
- Submission deadlines for 2023: not yet announced
- Expected amount of funding: up to 1.5 million euros for feature films and up to 200,000 euros for documentaries and short films.
Development Assistance
- This grant is intended for producers to support the development of feature films, series, documentaries, or short films. It can cover up to 50 percent of development costs, up to a maximum of 50,000 euros for feature films, 30,000 euros for series, and 15,000 euros for documentaries and short films.
- https://www.cnc.fr/cinema/aides-et-financements/aides-au-developpement/aide-au-developpement_408015
- Submission deadlines for 2023: not yet announced
- Expected grant amount: up to 50,000 euros for feature films, up to 30,000 euros for TV series, and up to 15,000 euros for documentaries and short films.
Support for Innovation
- This grant is intended to help companies develop innovative projects in the field of audiovisual content production and distribution. It may cover up to 50% of development costs, up to a maximum of 500,000 euros.
- URL:
- Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis throughout the year.
- Expected amount of aid: up to 500,000 euros.
Export Assistance
- This grant is intended to help producers promote and distribute their films internationally. It may cover up to 50% of the costs of promotion and distribution abroad, up to a maximum of 30,000 euros.
- URL:
- Applications may be submitted throughout the year.
- Expected amount of aid: up to 500,000 euros.
Ministry of Culture
Fund for the Development of Audiovisual Creation (FAC)
This grant is intended for producers to support the development of feature films, series, documentaries, or short films. It can cover up to 50 percent of development costs, up to a maximum of 50,000 euros for feature films, 30,000 euros for series, and 15,000 euros for documentaries and short films.
URL: https://www.culture.gouv.fr/Sites-thematiques/Cinema-et-audiovisuel/Aides-et-financements/Fonds-d-aide-au-developpement-de-la-creation-audiovisuelle-FAC
Application deadlines: January 15, April 15, July 15, October 15, 2023
Grant for the Production of Creative Documentaries: This grant is intended for producers to support the production of creative documentaries. It may cover up to 50% of production costs, up to a maximum of 80,000 euros.
URL: https://www.culture.gouv.fr/Sites-thematiques/Cinema-et-audiovisuel/Aides-et-financements/Aide-a-la-production-de-documentaires-de-creation
Application deadlines: January 15, April 15, July 15, October 15, 2023
Grant for the Writing and Development of Animation Projects: This grant is intended for writers and producers to support the writing and development of animation projects. It may cover up to 60% of writing and development costs, up to a maximum of 50,000 euros.
URL: https://www.culture.gouv.fr/Sites-thematiques/Cinema-et-audiovisuel/Aides-et-financements/Aide-a-l-ecriture-et-au-developpement-de-projets-d-animation
Application deadlines: January 15, April 15, July 15, October 15, 2023
Production Assistance for Animated Films: This assistance is intended for producers to support the production of animated films. It may cover up to 50% of production costs, up to a maximum of 300,000 euros for feature-length films and 60,000 euros for short films.
- Digital Media Support Fund (FAMN): This grant is intended for producers of audiovisual content to support the development of innovative projects in the field of digital media. It may cover up to 50% of development costs, up to a maximum of 100,000 euros.
Ministry of Culture
- Fund for the Development of Audiovisual Creation (FAC): This grant is intended for producers to support the development of feature films, series, documentaries, or short films. It may cover up to 50% of development costs, up to a limit of 50,000 euros for feature films, 30,000 euros for series, and 15,000 euros for documentaries and short films.
- Grant for the Production of Creative Documentaries: This grant is intended for producers to support the production of creative documentaries. It may cover up to 50% of production costs, up to a maximum of 80,000 euros.
- Grant for the Writing and Development of Animation Projects: This grant is intended for writers and producers to support the writing and development of animation projects. It may cover up to 60% of writing and development costs, up to a maximum of 50,000 euros.
- Production Assistance for Animated Films: This assistance is intended for producers to support the production of animated films. It may cover up to 50% of production costs, up to a maximum of 300,000 euros for feature-length films and 60,000 euros for short films.
- Digital Media Support Fund (FAMN): This grant is intended for producers of audiovisual content to support the development of innovative projects in the field of digital media. It may cover up to 50% of development costs, up to a maximum of 100,000 euros.
private foundations
- Jean-Luc Lagardère Foundation: This foundation offers a grant for young journalists and authors of nonfiction works, including illustrated books and documentaries. The grant can cover up to 50,000 euros for documentaries.
- Gan Foundation for Cinema: This foundation offers grants for the production of feature films, short films, and documentaries. Grants can cover up to 40,000 euros for feature films and up to 15,000 euros for short films and documentaries.
- Fondation de France: This foundation offers grants for video content creation projects with a social or environmental focus. Grants may cover up to 50% of the project costs, up to a maximum of 10,000 euros.
- Audiens Foundation: This foundation offers grants for video content creation projects in the fields of culture, communication, and media. Grants can cover up to 10,000 euros for individual projects and up to 20,000 euros for group projects.
scholarships and festivals
- Louis Lumière Grant: This grant is intended for young filmmakers to help them finance their first feature film. It can cover up to 60,000 euros.
- Orange Short Film Grant: This grant is intended to help young filmmakers finance their short films. It can cover up to 20,000 euros.
- Cannes Film Festival: The Cannes Film Festival offers several grants for filmmakers and producers. For example, the Cinéfondation grant helps young filmmakers finance their short film projects.
- Locarno Film Festival: The Locarno Film Festival offers several grants for filmmakers and producers. For example, the Locarno Industry Academy is a training program for film industry professionals.
- Sundance Film Festival: The Sundance Film Festival offers several grants for independent filmmakers and producers. For example, the Sundance Documentary Fund helps documentary filmmakers finance their projects.
- Sarlat Film Festival: The Sarlat Film Festival offers several grants for filmmakers and producers. For example, the screenwriting grant helps screenwriters finance the writing of their projects.
